The invention relates to a device for supporting at least one arm of an operating person during a surgical or medical operation.
A device of the kind mentioned at the outset, which can also be designated as an arm rest, is used as a support of the surgeon's or the surgical assistant's arm during an operation in order to increase steadiness of movement and reduce fatigue. Taking into consideration that a surgical operation can take up several hours and the surgical personnel carries out such an operation in a standing position, an arm rest of the aforementioned kind will be effective in avoiding a loss of preciseness of the manipulations carried out by the operating person.
The device comprises at least one supporting element for supporting the at least one arm of, for example, the surgeon. The supporting element is arranged at a carrying structure for carrying the at least one supporting element, wherein the carrying structure should be adapted to be mounted on a side of the operating table or in front of a surgical stool. However, the carrying structure of the device according to the invention can also be configured as a self-standing structure which can stand on the floor of the operating room beside the operating table.
A device known from DE 195 04 838 A1 is a supporting device integrated into an operating stool which can also be integrated in the operating table. The operating stool comprises an adjustable arm rest supporting the arms or hands of the surgeon leaning over the operating area.
However, in that document it is not disclosed how to adjust the height of the supporting element and, accordingly, the surgeon's or surgical assistance arm or hand.